Melting Instructions Made Me Laugh
Posted by terrepruitt on July 29, 2014
I really wanted to melt white chocolate properly. So I thought I would give it another try. This time I looked up HOW to do it. I thought I knew how when I tried it last time, but the way it came out — or did not come out — made me realize I needed some instructions. CLICK HERE for instructions on how to properly melt white chocolate. I laughed the entire way through reading it. I think I did EVERYTHING WRONG. That is why the candy I melted, seized. The first thing I learned is that white “chocolate” can burn easier than actually chocolate, so I needed to melt is slowly. I had thought that was part of the problem before . . . but funny enough, as I already mentioned I did a lot more to mess it up.
The instructions state the best way to melt white “chocolate” is a double boiler. I had thought that and so I made one instead of getting mine out of the cupboard. When that didn’t work, I got mine out of the cupboard. You can “make” a double boiler. You just put a heat safe bowl in a sauce pan. The edges of the bowl should hold the bowl ABOVE the water. See? That is the part I got wrong on both my makeshift one and the real one. I put both the bowl in the boiling water AND the pan. And that is why my white chocolate started going south so fast.
When it started to go bad I turned up the heat even higher thinking it needed MORE heat to get melty. The instructions go on to say not to allow any liquid into the “chocolate”. They say that if you need to add something it must be warm or at least room temperature. Any chill to the “chocolate” will make it seize. I don’t often melt chocolate and the one time I did I remember adding butter. So when my “chocolate” started to seize I grabbed some butter and added that . . . . cold . . . right out of the refrigerator. As I was reading the instructions and as I am typing this, I am picturing what happened when I did this. The mess of a “chocolate” I had turned to balls. I was reminded of Dipping Dots. I remembering say, “Honey! I have Dipping Dots in here! Ahhhh!”
So, I attempted to make the white chocolate strawberries again. I had forgotten to purchase the champagne. Since the melting instructions had said that any liquid, cold liquid, added to the melting/melted “chocolate” would make is seize, I decided to forget the champagne and let the strawberries dry well. Of course, I forgot this when I went to make them at 10:00 pm. So they didn’t dry as much as I had wanted. And it is very difficult to dip the strawberries and deal with each one as well as keep the “chocolate” from hardening. I did a better job this time than last time with melting the candy, but the strawberries were not as pretty. It actually worked last time to use the gooey “chocolate” and mold it around it strawberry. They looked better.
Well, I am determined to do this well. So I will be doing it again. I am lucky that strawberries and chocolate are something people really like and they overlook the not-so-prettiness of my creations. I’ll get better. I will do the “chocolate” better next time with the tips I learned.
–don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl/pan
–low temperature, slow melt
–no liquid
–if you need to add anything (liquid or butter) make sure it is room temperature to warm
I’ll know I will forget by the time we go somewhere else that I want to make these. Thankfully I have a blog where I can keep my notes. And, in addition to notes for myself, perhaps help someone else. But I kind of get the feeling I am the only one that doesn’t know how to melt chocolate.
Do you know how to melt WHITE chocolate? What about regular chocolate? What is your preferred method?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 
simonscotland said
I use this method too (for chocolate dip I add cream and cinnamon). You can use this method for cooking scrambled eggs too, it takes longer but the eggs end up being very fluffy (patience is needed as for a while it seems as if nothing is happening)
LikeLike
terrepruitt said
SIMON!!!!!
Why, hello, My Friend. It has been a while it seems. I don’t see you around as much as I used to.
What do you do with melted chocolate that has cream and cinnamon added? I saw one of the “famous” TV Chefs so this with eggs. I think it was Gordan Ramsey (I think). It was a Youtube video. He was in his kitchen – or so they made it seem – and he burned the toast. It was awesome! It was great to see that — yes, they too can get distracted and allow toast to burn. But . . . I like my scrambled eggs VERY cooked, so that method did not look like I would be able to eat the eggs. They were still “wet” looking. I like mine dry. I think you hit the key point though — patience! Because even with the chocolate you need patience and that first time I was wanted to do things quick. I guess I should use the microwave if I want fast!
Thanks for stopping by!
LikeLike
simonscotland said
The melted chocolate, cream & cinnamon I use as a popcorn dip. I’ve seen a recipe that uses the flavoured dark chocolate and double cream that is put into pots and chilled for a rich chocolate desert
LikeLike
terrepruitt said
No way! Dipping popcorn in melted chocolate. That sounds yummy. I know there are a million uses for melted chocolate, I just don’t normally use melted chocolate. 🙂 The dip for your popcorn, do you use white chocolate or chocolate chocolate?
LikeLike
simonscotland said
I use dark chocolate (I find white chocolate a bit too sweet)
LikeLike
terrepruitt said
YES! White chocolate is too sweet. In fact, as I am sure you are aware, it is not really chocolate. It is just candy. It makes a great “white” in the red, white, and blue dessert though!
HUGS to you!
LikeLike
simonscotland said
Hugs to you too ~ yes, it would be good for white in desserts
LikeLike
Michele said
Thanks for the tips, I might have to try it! What a great thing to perfect, your friends and students will love you! Fudge is the only thing I have melted chocolate for and I think it is a forgiving recipe using a candy thermometer and just pouring it into a pan 🙂
LikeLike
terrepruitt said
Aahh, yes, a candy thermometer. Don’t have one. I have three other thermometers so I don’t need ANOTHER one . . .
LikeLike
terrepruitt said
Whoa! Wait! What? My info says you commented at 10:34 PM. PM!
LikeLike